Compression springs have been used for many years in various capacities. For example, coiled compression springs are used in suspension systems, brake actuators, and various other mechanical devices where axial force generated through the compression of the spring is used. Generally, the desired force, or K-value of a spring is used to affect location and movement of the mechanical device. Hooke's Law is a principle of physics that defines the actual force of a compressed spring based upon the distance a spring is compressed. The axial force is a desired result of compressing a coiled spring. However, a phenomenon known as lateral force, has been an historic problem that heretofore has not been solved.
Lateral force is the force generated by a compressed spring that is lateral to the axial force along a spring axis, which is defined by a body of a coiled compression spring. Lateral force is known to cause premature failures in brake actuators and other mechanical devices that make use of the axial force generated by the compressed spring. It has been an unknown phenomenon as to what mechanical feature of the spring has caused unwanted lateral force. Therefore, no solution to the lateral force phenomenon has, to date, been developed. Therefore, it would be desirable to identify a cause of lateral force of a coiled compression spring and solve the problem of lateral force on mechanical devices.